Spurrier hints at 2011 QB battle between Garcia, Shaw

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - It is officially the off-season for the South Carolina football team. After Friday's performance in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, Steve Spurrier indicated there could be some changes to the 2011 version of the team.

The Gamecocks are once again headed into the off-season with questions about the roster, especially at the quarterback position. Stephen Garcia played well during the season, but he didn't play well enough in the bowl game to earn any support from the head ball coach heading into the off-season.

Off-seasons are not kind to Stephen Garcia, at least not the games leading up to them. Garcia has a knack for going out with a bang, and not in a positive way.

For the third year in a row, he heads into January with a loss. This time it comes after he made a point to be more prepared and practice harder for the bowl game. "There's really nothing I would do preparation-wise that I would change," he said.

Garcia threw three interceptions in Friday's loss to Florida State -- not the way he wanted to end an otherwise special season. "It's hard to swallow, but we have got to go into the off-season and get ready for next year," commented Garcia.

But whether or not Garcia will be the quarterback next year is in question. Steve Spurrier sounded noncommittal to his senior following Friday's game. "Connor Shaw will get a chance heading into the spring," said Spurrier. "There will be a lot of positions up for grabs."

"I don't know that anyone deserves anything right now," continued the head ball coach. "If that's how it is, that's how it is."

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